A new city on Coquitlam's Burke Mountain is getting closer to reality after council passed second and third readings of official community plan amendments that will pave the way for Partington Creek.
At Monday's council meeting staff noted plans for the new neighbourhood, which will be home to up to 15,000 new residents by the time it's finished, have been updated based on consultation input received over the past two months. Changes include reconfigured park spaces, more townhouses in the Baycrest area, stronger bear management policies and clearer policies on sloping sites.
Staff are also preparing a report for council on including more green streets in Partington, similar to the one in Burke's Upper Hyde Creek neighbourhood, which "has been very successful."
The staff presentation also noted that every Partington resident will be within a 10-minute walk of a park, but Coun. Mae Reid questioned what those parks will look like and whether any will be flat enough to accommodate a playing field. Staff noted the slopes don't allow for fields but parks will offer amenities like sport courts, tot lots and water parks.
One Highland Drive resident expressed support for the plan but asked that there be a variety in housing types. "I don't want to see banks and banks of townhouses," she said.
Some residents on Victoria Drive, however, said they were "strongly opposed" to Partington Creek's plans for a park land designation at the rear of their properties.
"I'm not opposing the park - I'm all for parks - but I'm just trying to find a better location for it," said one resident of the proposed Star Creek Park.
Coun. Craig Hodge asked staff to explain the park land acquisition process, which includes an independent appraisal followed by an offer valued at the "highest and best use of the land adjacent" to the property - in this case, the appraised value would be consistent with townhouse prices.
Council unanimously approved second and third readings of the OCP amendment bylaws.
